New SUNY chief visits Sullivan

LOCH SHELDRAKE — Nancy Zimpher, SUNY's new chancellor, culminated her tour of all 64 campuses in the system on Thursday afternoon at Sullivan County Community College.

BY STEPHEN SACCO

LOCH SHELDRAKE — Nancy Zimpher, SUNY's new chancellor, culminated her tour of all 64 campuses in the system on Thursday afternoon at Sullivan County Community College.

During her campus tour, Zimpher, in a bright red dress and a hard hat, stopped by the college's wind-turbine project, which is under construction.

"Here, you have a project that could spawn a wind-turbine industry (in the county)," she said, pointing to the unfinished turbine. "And here, you have the place to train the workers for the industry," she said, pointing to the campus.

For Zimpher, the bad economy "has taken the lid off" of how valuable education is as an economic engine.

The vertical wind turbine will be used to generate electricity for the college, and is a unique design found nowhere else but SCCC, said college President Mamie Howard-Golladay. The turbine should be ready for testing sometime in October.

Before taking the campus tour, Zimpher had a large, closed-door meeting with college officials, its board of trustees and faculty and student representatives. Also present were Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Sullivan County Legislative Chairman Jonathan Rouis and a representative of state Sen. John Bonacic.

"She asked questions and was able to handle a lot of questions — even the touchy ones," Golladay said of Zimpher.

Zimpher has held her post since June after unanimously being chosen at the beginning of the year to succeed former Chancellor John R. Ryan, who stepped down to become president of the Center for Creative Leadership in North Carolina.

Zimpher is the first female chancellor in SUNY's 60-year history. She left her position as president of the University of Cincinnati to take the post.

Zimpher said she was touched by the many expressions of gratitude she received from students during her campus tours.

"For many (students), this is the first generation to go to college, and they are excited and grateful," she said.